Union challenges Stamford School District nonrenewal timeline; board moves to executive session

John Corcoran, the union representative, told the Stamford Board of Education that the union's grievance No. 977 challenges the district's practice of notifying teachers about potential nonrenewal after deadlines in the district's principal handbook.

"If the teacher wasn't notified by a certain time, they should not be on the non renewal list," Corcoran said, urging the board to remove affected teachers from nonrenewal lists and place them on the Professional Growth and Development tiered support plan so those teachers could be given another year to improve.

The dispute centers on internal deadlines the handbook sets for principals to report nonrenewal recommendations to human resources. Corcoran highlighted two dates in the handbook: that teachers recommended for nonrenewal "should" be reported to HR by Dec. 1 and that principals should meet with employees "no later than Dec. 15." He said several teachers were notified late this year, in some cases only after the winter break, which the union says denied them timely notice and support.

Dr. Fernandez, the district's human resources administrator, told the board the nonrenewal document in the principal handbook was created as an internal guidance tool, not a binding mandate. "Guidance is discretionary," he said, adding that there are legitimate circumstances'such as teachers hired late in the year, extended leaves or developments after early observations'that can make a hard Dec. 15 cutoff impractical.

Fernandez noted legal and operational constraints: state statute requires teachers be informed by May 1 if they will not be offered a position the following year, and the district typically prepares final recommendations for the board by March 15 so Labor Committee and board timelines can be met. He warned that strictly enforcing a Dec. 15 cutoff could force unintended staffing outcomes during a period of teacher shortages.

Board members pressed both sides for specifics: Corcoran cited cases including a special-education teacher at Stark Elementary and another teacher at Westover who were notified late or resigned after being placed on a nonrenewal list. Corcoran said the union's requested remedy would remove affected teachers from nonrenewal lists and enroll them in tiered support plans; he estimated three teachers might have been affected this year and said the union typically tracks five to six nonrenewals per year.

The board did not vote in public. After the presentations and follow-up questions, the chair directed the board to move into an executive session to consider the grievance and any employment-sensitive deliberations. The executive session was arranged by sending a breakout-room link to participants.

The board may return from executive session with a decision on the grievance or instructions for further negotiation or revision of the district's internal nonrenewal procedures.